Honesty is Always the Best Policy
by leiasky
Summary: River and Kaylee spend some time together while Zoe stitches up Simon’s gun shot wound. Later, Simon’s drugged state causes him to be a bit more honest with his feelings. Oneshot set after 'Objects in Space'


Title: Honesty is Always the Best Policy

Rating: PG

Synopsis: River and Kaylee spend some time together while Zoe stitches up Simon's gun shot wound. Later, Simon's drugged state causes him to be a bit more honest with his feelings.

Author's Notes: Takes place right after the last episode, Objects in Space.

Disclaimer: This story is not meant to infringe on the copyright of any person or company related to the trademarked characters and situations depicted in the Serenity movie or Firefly series. I make no money from this. Only done for fun – and a desperate craving to have more stories told about this wonderful 'verse Joss Whedon created.

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**Honesty is Always the Best Policy**

"I can win this." River stared at the ball intently and then released it, scooping up enough of the jacks to win the game.

Kaylee shook her head and slapped her leg. "I was so close, too!" Kaylee gathered up the pieces and smiled at River. "Play again?" She glanced a bit hesitantly toward the infirmary and noticed no movement.

River nodded and followed Kaylee's gaze. They had chosen this spot because it gave them the perfect line of sight right into the infirmary, where Zoe was currently removing and stitching up the bullet Jubal Early shot into Simon's thigh.

"He'll be okay." River met Kaylee's eyes and the mechanic forced a smile onto her face.

"Oh, I know. Just – always worried is all."

"Me too." River admitted as Kaylee dropped the jacks and clutched the ball in her hand.

"Simon's in good hands. Zoe knows what to do." Kaylee believed every word but she couldn't help but be a little frightened that River had been scared for her brother too. However crazy River may or may not be, she had never really been scared for Simon before.

"Could have died tonight."

"But no one did, thanks to you." Kaylee's smile brightened River's sudden mood for a brief moment.

But then she remembered that sharp burst of pain that had blasted straight through her heart when Simon had been shot. "Was there because of me, though."

Kaylee tossed the ball and grabbed the jacks, taking a turn until she missed one. She couldn't think fast enough to deny the truth in River's words. "Ain't no safer place for you than here."

River smiled at her friend, grateful for the kindness this bubbly mechanic had shown to her and Simon from the moment they stepped onto Serenity.

Silence fell for a few moments while River took her turn and she noticed Kaylee glance toward the infirmary again when she thought the younger girl wasn't looking. River smiled to herself.

"He loves you, you know." River said suddenly and then bit her lip, thinking that perhaps now was not the right time to reveal her brother's closely guarded secret.

Kaylee inhaled sharply and her eyes grew wide.

"He's just scared. Scared to get attached. Thinks we'll have to leave someday and he'll hurt you – hurt himself."

Kaylee didn't know what to say. Her heart was pounding so loud it was all she could do to concentrate on River's words.

"Doesn't realize its better to take the chance." River shook her head and sighed. "He's such a boob."

Kaylee couldn't help but giggle at River's rather true assessment of her brother. She had siblings of her own, and could recall thinking similar things about them when they did something stupid.

River glanced back toward the infirmary again. "Probably shouldn't have told you. Wasn't my secret to tell."

Kaylee didn't know what to say. Her whole body was trembling with excitement. She was glad River had told her even though she knew she was probably in for a long wait to get that bit of information out of Simon himself. Still, it was good to know her feelings were reciprocated, even if in silence.

"Got tired of waiting."

Kaylee swallowed hard and reached out to take River's hand. "I been waitin' too, you know."

A small smile spread across River's face. "Would have kissed you tonight. But –" River lowered her eyes and frowned, "I distracted him."

Kaylee's eyes danced at River's confirmation of what she'd thought would have happened if they hadn't been interrupted by Book. "We got time."

Before River could respond, Zoe came into the cargo bay, Wash in tow. "All done. I'm sure he'd like to see you two."

River clutched Kaylee's hand, jacks forgotten. "We can play memory games with him!" River exclaimed happily as they stood and raced out of the bay toward the infirmary.

Wash raised his hand and said, to himself and Zoe, now that the younger girls were no longer there. "He's a bit doped up right now."

River's voice carried into the cargo bay. "That's what'll make it fun!"

Zoe turned to her husband and shrugged, shooting a smile at the girls departing backs. "Maybe the drugs'll make him better at talking to girls."

Wash tried to keep from laughing as he considered his wife's comment. "Well, there are no cow fetuses in the infirmary."

Zoe nodded, playing along excitedly. "Yes, they do seem to upset Kaylee terribly."

Wash's laughter echoed off the walls as they made their way back to the bridge.

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Simon's eyes were a bit glassy when the girls appeared in the doorway, smiling excitedly at him. Their angelic, happy smiles made him grin stupidly, and he was all of a sudden annoyed that Zoe had given him a larger dose of pain medication after she'd finished removing the bullet from his leg.

"Behaving yourselves?" Simon asked reaching his hand out toward them.

River took it and dragged Kaylee forward with her other hand. "Always, Simon." River shot her brother the most innocent look she could muster.

"I may be drugged, but I do still know when you're lying to me, River."

River's eyes widened and she gasped in mock horror that he would think such a thing. Kaylee simply giggled and Simon shifted his eyes to take in her beautiful face. All of a sudden he felt lighter and more relaxed than he'd ever felt before.

"Didn't listen to me, Simon. I wasn't going anywhere. Would never leave you." River couldn't believe the words that just suddenly burst out of her mouth. She hadn't planned on chiding him about this now. She swallowed thickly and took a deep breath, deciding to finish, now that she'd started. "Should have trusted me."

"I wasn't going to let him take you." Simon's voice deepened and his eyes narrowed with determination.

"I had a plan." River said stubbornly.

"I didn't know that," Simon insisted. "I was being held at gunpoint at the time being forced to call the big, bad man gentle and fluffy." Simon shivered at the thought, then continued, sarcasm dripping from his voice like venom. "Then he turned around and shot me. That was rude."

Kaylee covered her mouth, unsure of whether to be horrified or to giggle at Simon's rather unusual sarcastic tone.

River simply nodded, struggling to control the smile that tugged insistently at the corners of her mouth. Playing with her brother's drugged mind was going to be fun.

"We were starting to get along famously, too," Simon continued, oblivious – or maybe not – to the hand Kaylee had clamped firmly over her mouth.

River encouraged him with a squeeze of his hand. "Made a special connection, hmm?"

When Simon smiled, that swai drunken smile she remembered so fondly from Canton, at his sister, Kaylee's knees went weak.

"We did!" Simon insisted. He tried to focus on River, but his vision kept blurring, and he couldn't help but look at Kaylee when that happened.

River leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "You need rest. Better to make a connection with Kaylee. She's prettier." She pulled Kaylee forward and reassuringly squeezed her hand before depositing it into Simon's and quickly skipping out of the room.

"Yeah." Simon whispered, his glassy eyes falling on the suddenly uncomfortable Kaylee standing right beside his bed.

Kaylee was a bit befuddled but when she caught Simon's eyes all she could think to say was, "Am I only pretty when you're drunk or drugged?"

Simon stared dumbly as Kaylee's words slowly registered in his suddenly very slow mind. He knew he'd said something wrong, but for the life of him he couldn't understand what it was. But by the look on her face he needed to say something, and say it fast. "No."

Kaylee tried very hard to keep the stern look on her face but the pained one that passed across Simon's in that instant made her nearly break into laughter. It was wrong to take advantage of his drugged state. She knew it. But – River had started it. "No?" She encouraged with a raise of her eyebrows.

"You're pretty all the time," Simon said, the words flowing off his tongue so easily one would think they were something that came easily to him.

Kaylee's smile brightened and she leaned forward, settling herself on the stool beside the bed.

"Am I still in trouble?" The worried look in his eyes and the furrow of his brow made Kaylee want to kiss the fear right off his face.

"Naw. Never were." Kaylee laughed and squeezed his hand, noting his entire body relax.

"Oh, good." Simon let out a relieved sigh. "I'm always making you angry when I don't mean to. I'm sorry."

Kaylee stared dumfounded at him, surprised at his honestly. Selfishly, she suddenly wished he took whatever drugs Zoe had given him every day.

She couldn't think of anything to say to that except, "It's ok."

"No its not," Simon insisted, squeezing her hand. "I think –" Simon struggled for the words, his brain beginning to shut down from the medication. "I wish that –"

Kaylee leaned forward, her eyes big round saucers as she imagined what he was trying to say. What she hoped he was trying to say.

Simon shook his head sleepily, struggling to stay awake. He didn't want her to leave when he fell asleep. Selfishly, he wanted her to stay right there and not move. "I think the – medicine is – I can't stay awake. I –" he squeezed her hand and asked suddenly, "Stay with me?"

Kaylee nodded and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. When he turned his head, their eyes met and she was astonished at the warmth and the heat radiating from the beautiful blue orbs. She scooted closer to him and absently brushed away a stray lock of hair that had fallen into his eyes. "You sure?"

Simon squeezed her hand and inhaled deeply, his body relaxing to the point where he could barely feel his limbs. Having never been hurt so badly before, he never really understood the addiction one could develop by using sedative painkillers. As good as he was feeling right now, probably due at least in part to Kaylee's closeness, he wished he could feel like this every day.

"Kaylee –" her name was a breathless whisper on his lips. He lifted a suddenly very heavy, unsteady hand to brush her cheek. He didn't think he had the coordination to kiss her now, even if he did have the will.

When she met his eyes, saw the desire and hesitation there. She knew what he wanted. She wanted the same. Swallowing the guilt she felt at taking advantage of his drugged state, she helped him curl his fingers around her neck and bring her mouth to his.

Kaylee closed her eyes as their lips met, praying to the Shepherd's God, Inara's Buddha and any other God she could think of that he would remember this in the morning. All too soon, the kiss ended and Simon's body relaxed into the bed. His hand slipped from her cheek and she caught it, bringing it to her lips, knowing that it would be a long, long while before the euphoria brought about by tonight's events ended.

END

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